The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-20

that agon 'z'rg and cruel death is freely
given to ach individual. This Is what
st John referred to when he said that
God enligh'eDe h every man that
cometh into the world" and St. Paul
also when he said that God wishes
"sll men to be savsd aud to come to
the knowledge OF the truth" This
being the cise, we see the wonderful
love OF God for each one IS manifested
in prayer. He lietens TO each as if
that wa the only one appealing to
Him. Eich sincere act OF co triton
secures it's pardon. each cry for help
fnds relief, each act of faith, hope and
charity brings its reward. More than
this to each soul He has givea a guar
dian angel, or as the pssmst ex
presses, He hath given His angels
charge over thee to guard thee in all
thy wsys"-Psalm OK.
To confirm this consoling belief this
parable we are considering assures us
that "there shall be Joy in heaven
npon one sinner that doth penance."
Not only is prayer of this individual
character, but the tacramen,s also
were instituted to be applied one by
one to each soul according to it's ne.
cessites. Children are baptized one
by one; sacramento sbsolution pro
duce3 Its effect in each soul each
congecrated hoet in the Holy Eucha.
rist is inteuded to fnd its last abode
in the brt asst Of some one individual
child OF God.
Now, since God thus deals with in
dividusl souls as il each one alone
WAS the object of His tender care, 1t is
no wonder that Hie church has ever
beer, acusted by toe same motive, nor
that this parable bss always been
fsvoite enc. The early Christians,
amid the horrors OF persecution, ex.
hausted their rude ekill in represent
ing the love OF cur Lord toward sim
ners under the form OF q shep-
herd carrying q shesp upon
his shoulders Centuries have
passed away and the ca scombs where
thsy thus illustrated heir faith, sti
retain the evidence OF it, and the
church in every land recoguiz o the
beauty and appropriateness Of the
symbol. TIE purest marble yielding
to the genius Of the ecu pier, t can
vsss seem ps endowed with life by
the worlds best artists ana The sto led
windows beneath the domes Of great
csthedrals all tell how strongly this
representation of the Good Shepherd
brings hope and consolation 10 earth's
sad and weary ones. But the church
does not stop at mere sentiment nor
appeal to the imsg nation acne, The
lesson taught by the symbol carved Ia
lifeless stone or portrayed Oh fading
canva' is we'll learned and produces
practical resu Is which as onish man
kind, whose admiration q de vent IN
poetry and prose. From beneath the
thatcned roofs Of mud cabins, where
the fervid prayers of an oppressed
people ascend to heaven, a we'll as
from the marble palaces OF the
wealthy, loving hearts filed with zeal
AVID love for souls, have gone forth
amid prlvation, suffering and even
dtath to initiate the Good Shepherd.
Their feet have trodden the burning
sands OF the desert. On the frozen
mountain top, 5000 feet above the
Tea, they have erected their monas-
teries, the highest dwellings in Eu.
rope, solely that they might rescue, in
the hour OF peril, some traveller who
stood in need, perl APPS, Of spiritual as
well as physical aid. In the ingenu-
ity Of telr wonderful charity holy
monks have engrsfied their zeal upon
brute instincts, and taught even the
dogs OF St. Bernard to g forth amid
the bowling winds and binding
storms to listen to the cry for help,
and having fund a wsnderer to warm
him with their breath, revive him
with the stores they carry, and to
guide their sanity masters to his side.
II this excites our admiration, gre alter
yet will bs our surprise when We
glance at those pious associations for
the relief OF those who were the vic
TINS of leprcsy, that most hopeless
and repulslve OF al disc asses. Hos
pi ala for the reli-f or protection Of
lepers vera unknown prior to the
Christian era. But a most from the
very dawn of Christianity confrater-
mites were organized for the care Of
lepers, the earliest one of which We
have any record being that OF st.
Lazarus, founded In the year ~.
When this disc ase prevailed to a
frghtful extent all over Eu ope his.
tory records the wonderful fact that
thousands OF hospitals and ssylums,
based upon charitable or religious
foundations, aud approved by success
sive POpee, were established and pre-.
sided over by those who henceforth
becsme dead to the world. We have
proof, even in our own day, that the
principle taught by the parable Of the
Good Shepherd has taken deep root !
in the Church Of God. Even while l |
am speaking holy prizes, supp' rted
by The contributions OF the faithful, a
priest long d favorably known in
this country, is dying slowly from lep-
rosy contracted en- one Of the islands |
Of the Pacific while voluntary exile
among the epers for whose temporal
and spiritual welfare he has lsbored
for years. 1t was this principle also
which animated those holy mission
aries who accompanied the discoveries
and earliest xplorers OF this continent.
The map OF our land gives abundant
evidence of their al and the extent
OF their travels by the truly Catholic
names which they gave to many towns
and rivers, while the fact is OF Teco d
that they and their successors were in
strumental in founding no less than
9 Z States Of the Union.
Not only have strong men thus for
saken home, parents, honor, wealth,
all that the human heart holds dear,
but gentle women, too, have ever done
and are still doing The noble work
which the Good Shepherd has pointed
out for them. How appropriate, then,
that the church should give to an Or
der OF holy women, established 10 pro.
tect aod reclaim thoee Of their own
sex who are in danger or have gone
sstray, the emblem and the sweet
meme OF Sisters of ihe Good Shepherd.